Neurodiversity Acceptance Month – Collaborative Voices Project

April has internationally come to be known as “Autism Awareness Month” but is quickly becoming – more fittingly – recognized as “Neurodiversity Acceptance Month” or just “Neurodiversity Month”.

As such, it is important to utilize this spotlight to help educate folks on what neurodiversity is, why the neurodiversity movement is important, and how they can champion the rights of neurodivergent folks.

We can make our voices heard even louder by collectively blogging and/or posting other creative expressions throughout the month of April, utilizing weekly themes, and sharing each other’s work… while tying all of our work together by using the hashtag #NeurodiversityVoices2023 on our themed posts.

Each week will have a different theme attached to it (see below). You may participate as often as you’d like, with absolutely no obligation to participate more than once per week or even every week… it’s entirely up to you!

When making a participating post, please use the tag #NeurodiversityVoices2023 on your post to note that it is part of the collaborative project. When using the tag, you are asked to stick to the general theme for that week. You can, of course, make/share other posts throughout the month, but please only use the #NeurodiversityVoices2023 tag on the themed posts.

Your contribution(s) can be written posts, visual expression (photos, art, etc.), videos, podcast episodes, infographics, memes, tweets, or whatever works best for you to get your voice out into the world!

You are also encouraged to share posts from others each week!

If you’d like to share information about this project on social media, please share from these posts on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. (Links will be included as posts are added, shortly.)

Week 1 – Autism Advocacy – April 1-8, 2023

Because April 2nd is recognized as World Autism Awareness Day, the first week of this month will focus on the theme of autism advocacy and how it relates to the neurodiversity movement. This would be an ideal opportunity to direct focus toward autistic voices, instead of allowing the usual rhetoric from allistic (non-autistic) folks to take over the conversation. Some potential topics:

• Why listening to autistic folks, with regard to autism advocacy, is important.
• Needed supports & services for autistic children AND adults; how to ensure autistic folks are able to not only survive but thrive.
• How autistic advocates have changed how autism is viewed in the public eye and forced Autism Speaks & similar organizations to rebrand and change their negative narrative.
• Highlight books and/or artwork by autistic authors/artists.
• Why Autism Speaks is problematic and how Light It Up Blue is harmful (plus alternatives to Light It Up Blue, such as #RedInstead).
• Why the puzzle piece isn’t positive symbolism.
• The Judge Rotenberg Center and why it needs to be shut down.
• Personal experiences with various autism-related therapies/interventions.
• Highlight autistic advocates who have made a difference in the trajectory of autistic advocacy and autistic culture.

Week 2 – Neurodiversity 101 – April 9-15

The second week of the month will focus on the basics of neurodiversity and how it applies to EVERYONE. We can utilize this week to educate folks on what neurodiversity means, share information about the neurodiversity movement, and discuss what it means to be neurotypical or neurodivergent. Some potential topics:

• The history of the neurodiversity movement and its ties to the disabled rights movement.
• Highlight different neurotypes under the neurodivergent umbrella.
• Why is neurodiversity important for society and/or how has it played a part in history?
• Discuss why “neurodivergent” doesn’t just mean autism and/or ADHD.
• Discuss aspects of neurodivergent culture.
• Educate about commonly used terms in discussions regarding neurodiversity and neurodivergence.
• Explain how mental illness is neurodivergence and why that’s important to acknowledge.
• Teachers could share lesson plan ideas on how to teach about neurodiversity and neurodivergence.
• Highlight neurodivergent advocates, past and present, and their contributions to the neurodiversity movement and neurodivergent culture.

Week 3 – Diagnosis and Beyond – April 16-22

The third week of the month will focus on the diagnostic process and next steps after obtaining a diagnosis. Many common questions center around this theme, both from carers and loved ones, as well as neurodivergent folks themselves. This would be a great opportunity to provide answers. Some potential topics:

• When is diagnosis appropriate and necessary – or unnecessary – for someone?
• Discuss the pros and cons of diagnosis for specific neurotypes.
• Why and when is informed self-diagnosis valid and necessary in many situations? Why is it important to acknowledge and accept?
• The lack of access to diagnosticians and other barriers preventing diagnoses.
• How to discuss your diagnosis and/or your child’s diagnosis with family & friends.
• Share your personal diagnosis experience and the aftermath of diagnosis – did it help, hurt, or both?
• What happens after diagnosis? What should you do – or can you do – with that information, for yourself and/or your loved one.
• Accessing supports & services: how to do so, how to appeal a denial, rules & restrictions involved, etc.
• Diagnostic rates and how they’re reported / how they can be manipulated to push an agenda.
• The importance of protecting your privacy and/or that of your loved one, regarding diagnosis.

Week 4 (Option 1) – Neurodiversity & Education – April 23-29

The last week of the month has two theme options! You can choose one theme or use both. Week 4 (option 1) will focus on neurodiversity in education and academic settings. This theme will be great for – but isn’t limited to – project participants who are educators, parents, and/or students. Some potential topics:

• Why neurodiversity acceptance is important in academic environments.
• What acceptance, access, and inclusion should look like for neurodivergent students in academic environments.
• Mainstreaming vs segregated education, pros and cons.
• Moving away from “special” education and embracing adaptive, inclusive, or accessible education.
• Educational programs focusing on making education and academic opportunities more accessible.
• The importance of neurodivergent representation amongst educators, administrative boards, student-led organizations, etc.
• Access to college/university and how we can help neurodivergent students thrive in post-secondary educational environments
• Accessing supports & services in academic environments: how to do so, what they look like, what they should ideally look like, etc.
• Commonly used terms and frequently experienced issues when dealing with creating individual educational plans for students and other education advocacy situations.

Week 4 (Option 2) – Neurodivergent Adulting- April 23-29

The last week of the month has two theme options! You can choose one theme or use both. Week 4 (option 2) will focus on life experiences as a neurodivergent adult. This theme is primarily for folks whose posts focus more on navigating neurodivergence post-adolescence. Some potential topics:

• Accessing supports & services as an adult; how, why, etc.
• Transitional services from childhood to adulthood; what to expect as a neurodivergent person and/or as a carer.
• Why neurodiversity matters in the workplace and what neurodivergent inclusion may ideally entail.
• Personal experiences on which jobs/careers have been best for your neurotype(s).
• Navigating friendship, dating, and/or relationships as a neurodivergent person.
• What it’s like to parent as a neurodivergent person.
• Self-advocacy as an adult; educating and navigating family, friends, coworkers, employers, neighbors, etc.
• How neurodivergent traits may change as we get older and gain more life experience, with regard to specific neurotypes; etc.
• How to advocate for neurodivergent loved ones, who are adults, while including them in decision-making and respecting their autonomy and agency.
• Helpful “life-hacks” for your specific neurotype(s).

April 30th – Final Day Wrap-Up Post

The final day of the month! Let’s use this day to post a summary of what you’ve posted (whether a rundown of topics you’ve posted on or a list of links to your posts), share what you’ve learned from others, and/or link to some of your favorite posts you’ve seen throughout the month! This would also be a perfect time to tag neurodivergent advocates you’d like to spotlight and encourage your friends/community to give them a follow!

Submit Your Posts to the 2023 Archive!

If you’d like to submit your posts to the Neurodiversity Acceptance Month Collaborative Voices Project Archive, there will be links to a form here for each of the themed weeks in April. You will be able to use the forms to submit info about your post(s). All submitted information will be added to this post in an organized format. The archive list will be updated almost daily throughout April and will live on this website for as long as the website exists.

2024 and Beyond…

If you have theme suggestions for 2024, please feel free to reach out to me in the comments below or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/autisticpartygiraffe

— Giraffe Party


Acknowledgements…

• Massive thanks to Jewel, Autistic for the idea of this project taking place! You can visit Jewel, Autistic (who makes fabulous art!) on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/Jewelautistic
• Thank you to Judy Singer for coining the terms “neurodiversity” and “neurodiverse”. You can read more about these terms here and here.
• Thank you to Kassiane Asasumasu for coining the terms “neurodivergent” and “neurodivergence”. You can read more about those terms here and here.